New Parent Advice: How to Stay Green While Raising Newborns

Leading a sustainable life has become absolutely necessary these days in order to care about the environment and protect the planet in which we live, but also to take care of ourselves in a kind, smooth and conscious way. Sometimes, it may feel like being a new parent and bringing a baby into the world couldn’t possibly be done while leading a zero-waste lifestyle, that is why it's always important to keep this new parent advice guide at hand.

It's undeniable simpler to carry a green lifestyle if you are by yourself. It is also true that it does get harder to keep it on when you have a baby. The main reason why this is it, is because babies require many different things that are not usually reusable or eco-friendly By sure, raising newborns is a change, but while reading this piece of new parent advice, you'll sure find a sustainable alternative on how to raise a newborn and stay green...

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If the sheer size of your baby registry is already causing panic, maybe a more minimalist, sustainable approach is the option for you... Read this article in order to find tips on How To Be A Sustainable Parent in order to find a balance between being a parent while adjusting your new life to your traditional green routines.

So...How can I manage to have a green lifestyle while raising a newborn? Read on this piece of new parent advice and learn about it!

What green lifestyle choices will be the most beneficial to raise a green baby?

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Being a green parent encompasses a lifestyle of making healthy choices that are often organic, natural, and low in environmental toxins. New parent advice: Although it might feel overwhelming, it can also be simple. Instead of focusing on the whole world, you should focus on three things:

  • What goes in your baby's mouth
  • The environment in which your baby grows
  • What affects her/his skin and what options are the best for them

"When you look at the illnesses that are increasing, we're not just inheriting them. It's the change in our lifestyles, which means there are lifestyle answers that can tilt the odds in our child's favor," says many doctors.

1. What goes in your baby's mouth?

As regards the first point, your baby will be healthiest when growing in the best environment possible (your body). By minimizing exposure to toxins before you conceive and during pregnancy you help ensure your baby's good health. As we all know, life starts inside a woman's womb and while the baby is there, everything the mum eats, goes right into her baby.

So, it is always a good time to make a twist on your lifestyle if you are thinking of conceiving. You can start by making some changes to your everyday diet. One of the starting points could be reducing the amount of ultra processed food or junk food. There are many ways of getting proteins and vitamins that will fuel your body and one of them is through fruits and vegetables... Following this piece of new parent advice and getting involved in healthy diet are ,by sure, the first steps to make.

But... What happens once the baby is born? Well, the best option for your baby is breastfeeding. Breastfeeding not only helps the environment by reducing packaging, transportation, and manufacturing waste, but it's also healthier for your baby. If you're planning to breastfeed, your preparation starts before conception. The better you eat and take care of your body, the better you are able to nourish your baby...The sooner you start, the better!

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As soon as your baby grows up, a mixed, varied and sustainable diet is something to really keep an eye on! Have you ever considered making your baby’s food? It might seem like a lot of time and effort to create something you can buy in-store, but it’s one of the most sustainable practices you can have while child-rearing. Believe it or not, it doesn’t take a lot to make baby food at home. Puree your own vegetables and fruits using a blender, make them in big batches, and freeze in a silicone ice cube tray before transferring to a reusable container

2. The environment in which your baby grows

Ok, time to talk about the environment where your baby grows up. We can say that the place and surroundings where your newborn will grow up and interact is really important. Their exposure to clean air and organic materials is not only beneficial during their raising but it is also important to set their standards.

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New Parent Advice: How to Clean The Air?

According to some doctors, keeping certain flowers and plants in your house can improve air quality. Some great choices are peace lilies, gerbera daisies, and mums. Your baby spends approximately 90 percent of her time inside, so the cleaner the air, the better. "Some house plants reduce chemicals in the air, like formaldehyde, up to 90 percent", many experts said.

As regards the environment in which the play and the toy with which they interact, it is also important to clarify that there are sustainable options as regards the materials of the toys they play with. How does a recycled toy for your kid sounds like? It looks like a great idea for me. The best solution for these kind of problems is getting sustainable toys, either recycled or organic ones. Not only you can get wooden toys like the ones made from Birchwood but also there are many options available that are produced from, for example, from bamboo fibers.

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If you're looking for ways to replace plastic made toys, I suggest you to read this article: The Best Eco Friendly Toys For Kids: 8 different options for more and incredible ideas.

3. What affects her/his skin and what options are the best for them?

- Little one's skin is still developing after they are born, as many other parts of their bodies like teeth. Ergo, their skin can be damaged much more easily that grown ups. They are yet not used to being outside the mum's womb so everything that touches them can rapidly affect them. One of the ways to prevent this is by getting them dressed with Organic Cotton.

Babies do grow a lot. this means that there will be loads of clothes which will fit the baby for a couple of weeks and then they will get short. In this case it is always a good idea to research for eco-friendly baby clothes brands. Most of these brands will have products made from organically produced fibers which would normally be sustainable harvested as well. If you' want to learn more about this topic, I suggest you to read Eco-friendly Baby Clothes: The Most Adorable Options for the Little Ones

- Besides, it’s pure fact that babies love to be swaddled. As a parent, it’s your job to make sure the material they’re swaddled in is the safest stuff on the market. Cloths made from 100 percent organic cotton muslin or bamboo, are great nontoxic and eco-friendly options. To learn more about it, I suggest you to read the following article in order to find the best blanket options for your newborn: Looking for an Organic Baby Blanket? 10 Top Options Here

New Parent Advice: What about Eco- Friendly Diaper Choices?

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When we compare cloth diapers to disposable diapers, reusable diapers are more eco-friendly because they produce less waste. Disposable diapers can cover large lands of trash and that’s not good for the environment. Anyway, there’s something to take into account when we say they are sustainable. The debate about ‘reusable diapers: good or bad?

If you choose not to take today's traditional, disposable diapering route, there are a few green options for your changing table. Reusable diapers contain fewer chemicals in comparison to disposable diapers, which means that there are fewer chances of your baby getting a rash or eczema because of the diapers. So, looking for eco-friendly, disposable diapers at natural food stores or online -- they're made without the use of chlorine bleach, fragrances, or latex, is a nice way to start. Cloth diapers have come a long way since Grandma used them; they're now washable at home or by using a local diapering service. You might be asking yourself 'What are the best reusable diapers for my newborn? Read the following article and find the best options for your baby: What are the Best Reusable Diapers? Plus: Extra Accessories!

I hope this new parent advice has helped you to make this new life stage smoother and safer.

And please remember: being sustainable is about taking baby steps!

Candelaria Tardivo

Redactora de sustainablewarriors.com

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